What would you want your 13-year-old child to learn, read or watch?

[teedubya]

I'm creating a summer curriculum for my 13-year-old son. And I'm putting together a list of books, documentaries and other pieces of wisdom to help my son become a jedi at life.

What do you wish you had known at age 13? What book is a MUST read for him? What documentary changed your life?

The US education system is great for helping kids regurgitate facts, but it doesn't excel at teaching people to become a critical thinker.

What information and knowledge should be on any 13-year-old's radar, aside from religious texts and dogma?

Thanks in advance.

[Rain Man]

Isn't that almost an algebra year?

I don't know what books are appropriate for that age group. It seems like there's a lot of nonfiction stuff that would be valuable.

[teedubya]

Isn't that almost an algebra year?

I don't know what books are appropriate for that age group. It seems like there's a lot of nonfiction stuff that would be valuable.

I was counting on you to bring the thunder, man!

[milkman]

Marvel Comics.

[cdcox]

Thinking back, I spent a lot of thine that summer watching reruns of Giligan's Island and Leave it to Beaver. Throw in some chess, stamp collecting, and sandlot football and he's good to go.

[stumppy]

That all those stories in my older brothers' Penthouse weren't really true.

[displacedinMN]

Teacher here.

Anything with problem solving, science, math What if....

Study skills and

How not to be a pain in the ass in 8th grade.

But, since you are asking how to make your kid better, I will assume you have cared for a long time and are an involved parent.

Read October Sky. The movie is great. The book is even better. Every 8th grader should read that book. What they did and tried is not what kids do today.

Read non-fiction. Too much emphasis is put on fiction, which is not reality.

[cosmo20002]

I'm creating a summer curriculum for my 13-year-old son. And I'm putting together a list of books, documentaries and other pieces of wisdom to help my son become a jedi at life.

What do you wish you had known at age 13? What book is a MUST read for him? What documentary changed your life?

The US education system is great for helping kids regurgitate facts, but it doesn't excel at teaching people to become a critical thinker.

What information and knowledge should be on any 13-year-old's radar, aside from religious texts and dogma?

Thanks in advance.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3uD13uX1Y7I/T7zwWoC-pdI/AAAAAAAAAOk/hfF2DKLVO6c/s1600/KamaSutra.jpg

[Tribal Warfare]

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426575448l/867247.jpg

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi was a piece of literature I was instructed to read when I was that age. Pretty cool stuff I learned from that.

[milkman]

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426575448l/867247.jpg

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi was a piece of literature I was instructed to read when I was that age. Pretty cool stuff I learned from that.

One thing I know for certain.

What ever this dipshit learned is not something you want your kid to learn.

[Buehler445]

I wouldn't know. I spent the entire summer working 16 hours a day and like four on Sundays. That probably helped me more than any learning would have.

[teedubya]

I wouldn't know. I spent the entire summer working 16 hours a day and like four on Sundays. That probably helped me more than any learning would have.

Did this involve tractors?

[TimBone]

One thing I know for certain.

What ever this dipshit learned is not something you want your kid to learn.
lol

[vailpass]

A Separate Peace. If you haven't, read it for yourself first then talk about it.

[TribalElder]

Learn Python programming

Learn the game of golf

Drink mad dog 20/20 by the bottle

[KC native]

Buy him a bag of weed.

I got stoned for the first time when I was 13 and I turned out fine.

[cosmo20002]

Kansas City Chiefs: The Epic Playoff Victories

It's a quick read, more like a pamphlet, but a real page-turner.

[ChiTown]

Kansas City Chiefs: The Epic Playoff Victories

It's a quick read, more like a pamphlet, but a ONEpage-turner.

FIFY

[tiptap]

The traditional read is say Treasure Island and then dig up the several movies made of Treasure Island and discuss the difference between word and cine.

Sign him up for some type of physical activity like baseball or swimming.

And introduce the Sine, Cosine and Tangent as related to triangles by means of borrowing a transit and surveying the neighborhood. It doubles as a spy glass.

[Ming the Merciless]

Do a couple of big projects that combine reading, math & problem solving etc...

Build something(s)

Try this link:

http://makezine.com/projects/




For reading, "The Yaqui way of Knowledge" tripped me out at about 13


I dunno....I would tend to assess the weaknesses and try and work on those....

What areas is he lacking?

[Bearcat]

Teacher here.

Anything with problem solving, science, math What if....

Study skills

Yep, and anything that gets him exploring the world to find what he's really interested in... even if that changes day to day at 13yo.

[Buehler445]

Did this involve tractors?

At that age quite a bit. As I got more proficient At machine prep and Maintenance there was less tractor.

[Bugeater]

Get them outside doing yard work. It builds character.

[dmahurin]

Read The Giver. Great book for that age range.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

50 shades of grey

[TimeForWasp]

Green eggs and ham. Cat in the hat.

[ThaVirus]

A summer curriculum? You're not worried about burning the kid out?

[ChiliConCarnage]

I think that was the age I got Jurassic Park from a neighbor. An amazing book, that became a movie. Timeline, might be another Crichton book that would be interesting. Involves and will open the mind to quantum mechanics.

[RealSNR]

Have him watch all Star Trek episodes.

[sfuria]

A Separate Peace. If you haven't, read it for yourself first then talk about it.

Damn you. That was going to be my suggestion! That was the only book (title) I could remember as a student. Unfortunately I don't think kids today would really be able to relate. Or perhaps I'm wrong and the book transcends generations. That would be nice as I think everyone should read it at some point in their lifetime.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Get him a part time job on a swine operation. His life will be changed forever.

[Hoopsdoc]

I think I read every Louis L'Amour book in the school library when I was 13. That's fiction of course, but still good reading.

[scho63]

Of Mice and Men

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Hunt for Red October

Fahrenheit 451

The Old Man and the Sea

Huckleberry Finn

Call of the Wild

The Concrete Jungle

[Eleazar]

Ken Burns' documentary series on the Civil War

[BigMeatballDave]

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.190661!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/amd-penthouse-jpg.jpg

[stevieray]

You travel a lot, so I would say the best curriculam is YOU. He's got his whole life to study.

Take him camping, go exploring the beauty of nature..lay on the ground and marvel at the stars... teach him to bulid a fire. Teach him to fish. Teach him to cook a fish. Bulid something together, whether it be a model or shelf for his room.

The time you spend with him now is vital, you're gonna blink, and he's going to be of age.

Your time with him will give him worth, love, loyalty all things that are the foundation to his future. These are the things that will mean the most to him, and the things he will pass onto others as he matures and enters adulthood.

Give him your time, the one fleeting gift that will last for a lifetime, while you still can..JMO

[BucEyedPea]

I'm creating a summer curriculum for my 13-year-old son. And I'm putting together a list of books, documentaries and other pieces of wisdom to help my son become a jedi at life.

What do you wish you had known at age 13? What book is a MUST read for him? What documentary changed your life?

The US education system is great for helping kids regurgitate facts, but it doesn't excel at teaching people to become a critical thinker.

What information and knowledge should be on any 13-year-old's radar, aside from religious texts and dogma?

Thanks in advance.


What are his own personal interests? I found it helps to align learning to the child’s interests where you can.

Do you want him educated to become a free man? If so see my first recommendations:

Some basic primers on free-market economics for young teens:
What Ever Happened to Penny Candy?
Comes with a workbook. It's simple to read too. Cuts through the modern Keynesian crap. Wish I knew this stuff when I was younger.

It’s available here at this link and Mises Institute also carries it. There is a series of books for kids at this link, called the Uncle Eric Series: Capitalism for Kids, Common Sense Business for Kids, Personal Model for Success, Political Philosophies, Justice, Solving the Money Mystery, Economics: A Free Market Reader. Believe there is one on finance and investment. Teaches a young person how to manage money which they do not learn in school.

http://www.bluestockingpress.com/whatever-happened-penny-candy.htm

The Mainspring of Human Progress
This is also online as a .pdf if you google the title. Is a great philosophical primer before studying economics. It isolates why some civilizations prosper....and it’s not due to govt. It’s not hard to read either because its basic which is what is lacking today with all the complicated gobbledy gook.
https://mises.org/library/mainspring-human-progress

Lessons for the Young Economist
https://mises.org/library/lessons-young-economist

History?
The Thousand Year War is another easy to read book which will give him a better understanding of the Middle-East conflict. It’s a different perspective than the dumbed done media reporting we get.

Classic Literature: You'll have to look up what falls under that for boys, his age and what he likes. He should select it. Study the era a story was told in. It doesn't take long. It's interesting and fun and you learn a lot, even some history, just from that.

Art: Bring him to one of those art centers in your local community if they have one. They often have summer programs for kids. Imo, it begins with good drawing draftsmanship. Depends on who you get for an instructor though. Some of them suck because they do nothing but be there. I would have loved an art history course
Earlier too. Look into the Great Courses for not just art history but many other subjects: photography, music, science, history, travel.

http://www.thegreatcourses.com/

If he prefers music, I can’t help you but I am sure there are summer resources.

I feel these subjects, as well as practical skills helps them learn the more academic materials if these are mixed in.


Academics subjects like math?
My one regret in my early education— I wish I didn’t daydream so much learning my math prior to high school. It was just so boring to me. (unless I was counting money) Though I did fine in high school math, that was only because I could do the tests, I wouldn’t say I could think with it beyond that.

So, as someone mentioned if you want to help him with his SAT/ACT scores look into Teaching Textbooks. They are designed for homeschoolers and are very popular with that crowd for a reason. They start as early as Third Grade but they do Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry and Pre-Calc. Trig is in one of those sets. Good SAT scores have been reported by parents who've used them, because high school is not taught the way it is used on the SAT for one. SAT requires reasoning with your high school math. One boy got a perfect SAT score, got into Dartmouth for engineering. They come with a DVD, workbook etc. They also go over what was done wrong on each test too. So they don't walk away not fixing what they missed.

They’re not cheap but the second link is a swap site where parents sell theirs used.They are usually in very good condition too.

http://www.teachingtextbooks.com/
http://www.vegsource.com/homeschool/fs36/index.html

Also, SATs have an online course you can pay for which covers the verbal and writing too. It automatically scores for you too. They have daily practice on one or two problems and whole tests, including past SATs which they score for you. ACT only has four tests which they score. The course sucks compared to the SAT one. However, there's a software program that does a better job and auto scores and tells you want areas you need to relearn, review to improve. It's easier to improve your ACT score, I found, as it covers what you learn more than being a reasoning test.


Improve literacy? Obviously reading matters but the SAT is mostly about the meanings of words. Instill the discipline to look up words, including their etymologies as he reads anything. It will boost his literacy, and improve reading comprehension. This is not just a score goal...but that comes with the territory. I used my mom because she as a walking dictionary and always kept one beside her because she was always reading novels. A fun book, and I think there’s a video on it is The History of English. It’s actually fascinating and fun. It explains why English can be a crazy language due to the words from other places in it.

Writing: Try Institute for Excellence in Writing has books and programs. I can't personally vouch for this one because I haven't used it. That's only because I found too late and didn't have a chance. I hear it's good though.

http://iew.com/


Practical Skills:
Does he like to cook? Try RouxBe cooking school online. They used to have an introductory for free but not sure if they have it anymore. There’s others. Martha Stewart has a great section including cutting skills and the library has videos you can rent. My mom taught me nothing about cooking or food preparation and I used to bang around in the kitchen on my own following recipes. I’d have to ask her what certain words in them meant though. My daughter loved doing her culinary arts program. It’s a good practical skill.

Speaking of practical skills, have your son make something...like in woodshop or something. You draw on other subjects in practical skills. It's great way to learn how to apply what he’s learned. This could be nearly anything like boating, sailing, camping, survival skills etc.

[Saccopoo]

I think that the suggestion of yard work was excellent.

Books are books. Rather than trying to have him assimilate positive societal mores via literary input, teach him them through active participation.

Doing it yourself is fundamentally more solid in terms of building character than reading about someone else doing it.

The ****ing kid ain't gonna learn to use a light saber unless he uses a light saber - savvy?

You want to teach him patience and attention to detail and art and science all at once? Teach him how to fly fish.

[GloucesterChief]

Of Mice and Men

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Hunt for Red October

Fahrenheit 451

The Old Man and the Sea

Huckleberry Finn

Call of the Wild

The Concrete Jungle

I would add Animal Farm.

Brave New World and 1984 contain sex scenes so may or may not be age appropriate.

[Brock]

How to tie knots and properly secure a load in a pickup.

[ThaVirus]

Of Mice and Men



To Kill a Mockingbird



The Hunt for Red October



Fahrenheit 451



The Old Man and the Sea



Huckleberry Finn



Call of the Wild



The Concrete Jungle


Reading this list just put me to sleep....

[BucEyedPea]

A Separate Peace. If you haven't, read it for yourself first then talk about it.

I had to read that in one of my high school English classes. Can't remember if it was freshman or sophmore year.

I read The Good Earth at age 13 on my own and loved it. Dickens too. Loved him.

[Donger]

http://www.amazon.com/American-Conspiracy-Theories-Joseph-Uscinski/dp/0199351813

[notorious]

I wouldn't know. I spent the entire summer working 16 hours a day and like four on Sundays. That probably helped me more than any learning would have.

This.

My summer vacation was a 15 minute break from the JD 4430.

[BucEyedPea]

Can't work at age 13. His kid is only 13. I guess some things. I couldn't work until age 16. After that I worked full-time all summer and part-time during the school year right through college years. In face one summer I worked three jobs....so I could go to Europe the next summer.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Good age to learn CPR

[notorious]

Can't work at age 13. His kid is only 13. I guess some things. I couldn't work until age 16. After that I worked full-time all summer and part-time during the school year right through college years. In face one summer I worked three jobs....so I could go to Europe the next summer.

Anything goes on the farm.


It's Thunderdome.

[notorious]

Good age to learn CPR

Chief Planet References?

[BucEyedPea]

Anything goes on the farm.


It's Thunderdome.

So I hear.

[BucEyedPea]

http://www.amazon.com/American-Conspiracy-Theories-Joseph-Uscinski/dp/0199351813

Mean spirited.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

There's a lot to be learned out there

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MEwbfnCpKA4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[lewdog]

Have him learn how to properly make a tinfoil hat.

[Easy 6]

Get him outside in nature as often as possible... hiking, fishing, watersports etc.

[BigBeauford]

Maybe check out habitat for humanity, or mentor with a handyman. My biggest regret is not learning more from my dad on fixing things, which is a valuable commodity/life skill when he gets his own home someday.

[Brock]

Maybe check out habitat for humanity, or mentor with a handyman. My biggest regret is not learning more from my dad on fixing things, which is a valuable commodity/life skill when he gets his own home someday.

Yes. This is how I learned to sheathe and side a house correctly. Knowing construction trades saves you a shitload of money.

[Buehler445]

Given some time to reflect on it, and thinking about my nephews and nieces that are about that age. And thinking about my experiences and what I wish I had learned at that age. Most of them revolve around basic life skills. The sooner they can learn them, the more of an advantage he will have.

The value of work There aren't many kids these days that know how to buckle down and work. Dad and I have been trying to figure out how to get my nephew to put forth requisite effort at work. I don't know the answer, but father/son talks about what it takes to get and keep a decent job as well as an explanation of competition in the work environment and how important hard work/focus on productivity/adding value/etc can mean, and it all starts with effort and focus. While mowing the grass, or sweeping the garage or whatever may not take absolute focus, but focusing and putting forth the requisite effort is important. If you can find a way to reward him for good effort and not for bad would be good.

Personal Finance This came easy peasy for me at this age, but a lot of kids I work with can't even get close. Balancing checkbooks, compounding interest, loan amortization and the value of paying additional principle, how credit works, how credit compounds with credit cards, cash flow, calculating profit, budgeting, etc is all vitally important. With college costs and the state of student loans, the cost of everything else too, there is very little margin for error with kids - See Guru's kid car thread. These things should be pretty easy to find. If you need any help feel free to PM me.

Woodworking/Metalworking/Construction/Handyman Skills This is where I wish I would have done better. I'm not very good with my hands, and I wish I were better. I'm decent with mechanics, but I'm not very good with much else. If you can get him to shadow some guys that wouldn't mind having him around, would help. Anything you can teach him is good, but having someone else do it would be more beneficial and reinforce the importance of job well done. Even if it is something as simple as building, staining and finishing a shelf or something, it would be a good way to understand finish quality and precision would be good.

Math/Other Academic Study Math is what fleets the easiest over the summer. If he has any idea what he wants to do after high school, it's never too early to start him down the path. For instance, if he has interest in accounting, he can go through some coursera or khan academy classes or something like that.

All the best bud. There aren't enough good parents on this planet. Kudos.

[Iowanian]

I think he would be better served if you unplugged his computer for the summer. Teach him how to mow a yard, check and change oil. Show him how to build a birdhouse and change a tire. Teach him how to make some money through labor and how to use and save wisely.

13 is a very impressionable age and you only have his attention for a few more years.

Take him camping.. Rough it. Learn how to skin fish and build fire and put up a tent.

Let the summers lessons come from man classes instead of math books.


I hadn't read the responses prior to mine but I concur. He might forget the passages of higher learning but he will use the man skills for life. They will serve him better.

[Iowanian]

We used to have relatives from the city stay at our farm in the summers. S even a couple of weeks on a working farm would be awesome. Harder to find them now though.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Ancient Aliens

[Easy 6]

Ask him to think about his four favorite subjects/what he might wanna be when he grows up, give him some time to mull it over... whatever it may be... astronauts, baseball, cowboys, computers, whatever it may be.

Then take him to the library at the start of each week and help him pick out a book on one of those four subjects, give him the week to finish it and start over the next week... that will kill a month, foster a love of reading and educate him on his interests all at once.

Theres absolutely nothing like reading a book (not a stinking Kindle either, an honest to God book you hold in your hand and turn the pages on), I'm sooo thankful to my mother and aunts for encouraging me to read. Its become a lifelong habit/passion and I wouldnt know half of what I do without it... do that to stimulate his thoughts and keep his body active with outdoor activities = profit.

[Mr. Laz]

Thought provoking
Thought expansion

try to figure out what he likes and what he's good at

broad subject range would be best imo

learning extra languages is much easier when young

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Disorderlies is a Top 5 comedy of All Time. Needs to see it.

[notorious]

Disorderlies is a Top 5 comedy of All Time. Needs to see it.

Holy Shit. Fat Boys FTW.

[SAUTO]

I think he would be better served if you unplugged his computer for the summer. Teach him how to mow a yard, check and change oil. Show him how to build a birdhouse and change a tire. Teach him how to make some money through labor and how to use and save wisely.

13 is a very impressionable age and you only have his attention for a few more years.

Take him camping.. Rough it. Learn how to skin fish and build fire and put up a tent.

Let the summers lessons come from man classes instead of math books.


I hadn't read the responses prior to mine but I concur. He might forget the passages of higher learning but he will use the man skills for life. They will serve him better.this.


Exactly this. In fact I might just do this my self...

[Easy 6]

Disorderlies is a Top 5 comedy of All Time. Needs to see it.

Holy Shit. Fat Boys FTW.

ROFL

[WilliamTheIrish]

Be his Dad.

Knucklehead.

[Saulbadguy]

Just let him surf the Internet all day errr'day.